The U.S. Forest Service had not issued organizers of the Shasta Cascade Weekend Sports Festival a permit to use the Centimudi boat ramp at Shasta Dam.

Forest Service spokeswoman Phyllis Swanson said Tuesday morning that the federal agency gave organizers the permit application package in February 2015 and was waiting for the needed paperwork from race organizers.

Swanson said via email that the permit had been ready for a while but had not been issued because the Forest Service was still waiting for key documents.

'Just yesterday some of that required documentation was just received,' Swanson said. 'We were poised and ready to go.'

Swanson initially said the permit was issued but further research revealed that was not the case.

The Forest Service understood the benefits of the sports festival to the region, Swanson said.

'We are shocked and disappointed about the cancellation of the event,' she said.

ORIGINAL STORY

Organizers of the North State's first sports festival are committed to seeing it one day happen despite a financial shortfall that forced its abrupt cancelation.

The Shasta Cascade Weekend Sports Festival was called off Friday after organizers determined there wasn't enough money to stage it.

'Unfortunately, due to the high production costs for an event of this magnitude within the city of Redding and Shasta County, coupled with the relatively low sponsorship support and participant registrations to date, funding fell well short of covering the operational costs,' the event's Facebook page said.

The festival was scheduled Memorial Day weekend and would have featured some 10 events — including triathlons and duathlons — entertainment, family activities and a sports fitness expo. The long-course races were to start at Shasta Dam and finish at the Redding Civic Auditorium.

Nancy Cardoso, the race manager, said they decided there wasn't enough time left to raise the needed money. They hoped more people would sign up in the weeks before the festival. As it was, the event had fewer than 500 people registered.

'I just want to see this event happen,' Cardoso said. 'I am not putting blame on anybody. We just couldn't make it happen.'

Asked who made the call to cancel the event, Cardoso said, 'It was everybody's decision not to go forward. It wasn't anybody's fault.'

The husband-and-wife team of Jon and Carol Atherton of AA Sports were brought in by organizers to help stage the Shasta Cascade Weekend Sports Festival. AA Sports also started the Pacific Crest Sports Festival in Sunriver, Oregon, which today draws 5,000 to 6,000 athletes and thousands more to the region each year.

Jon Atherton said it was not AA Sports' decision to cancel the Redding event.

'The city made the call,' Atherton said. 'We were prepared to do it. Actually we are still prepared to do it. However, the event can't continue because of insufficient funds.'

The event's Facebook page also states the city canceled it.

Redding City Manager Kurt Starman said it was not the city's decision because it was not a city event.

Both Starman and Mayor Missy McArthur were at the Friday meeting when organizers decided to cancel it. Laurie Baker, general manager of Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association, also was among those present.

Starman said the city has been supportive but was not in a financial position to underwrite the event.

'It was clear there was a huge (funding) gap and the event was much more expensive than the money coming in,' Starman said.

McArthur agreed and said it did not appear the festival was well organized.

'It was really strange because nobody knew who's on first,' she said. 'Usually something that is two weeks out, everyone is so doggone organized, and with this everybody was still trying to figure something out.'

Starman said there was an item on Tuesday's City Council agenda that recommended spending $8,500 to help with traffic control during the festival. But now the item will be pulled.

Randy Carter, a Redding native and triathlete who's competed around the world, was among those who first contacted AA Sports to help put on the sports festival.

Carter tried to convince city officials to help fund the event because it would be a great economic investment and help put Redding on the map.

However, Kim Niemer, the city's community services director, and McArthur made it clear the city didn't have the money to cover the estimated $200,000 to put on the festival, Carter said.

'The community itself gets the most (economic) benefit,' Carter said. 'In these enormous size events, it has to be a major commitment by the city.'

Niemer was out of the office Monday due to a family emergency and couldn't be reached for comment.

Jon Atherton said from the beginning the city knew what was at stake.

'Representatives of the city of Redding were in the very first meeting and it was clear what it was going to take to put this event on and it was also clear we didn't own the event,' Atherton said, adding AA Sports never committed to financing the festival.

Carter applauded AA Sports for its efforts. He said the Portland, Oregon, company was tasked with a huge job to organize and promote the festival and did not have much time to do it. The festival announcement came out late last year.

'They put up with a lot of adversity to try to do something good for our community,' said Carter, a retired Redding Fire Department captain.

The swim portion of the triathlon was to take place at Shasta Dam at the Centimudi boat ramp. Carter said it was difficult getting permits from the Forest Service so they could use the boat ramp. That shortened the time they had to promote the event.

Triathletes who compete in these events make their plans six to eight months in advance, Carter said.

Phyllis Swanson, a Forest Service spokeswoman, said the federal agency issues permits all the time for commercial recreation activities. Much depends on the type of event and the timing.

'From what I understand, they wanted to do the event Memorial Day weekend at the location that is pretty busy,' Swanson said, noting that the permit was issued.

Baker, of the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association, believes a regional sports festival will happen. She said everybody involved worked hard to put on what could have been a 'fabulous event.'

'Maybe it will be 2017, maybe 2018,' Baker said. 'But I believe we will need to look at it from a different angle. I think it's viable. I think it's doable. This event was not financially viable to be able to deliver what was planned.'